Portable vehicle alarm system

ABSTRACT

A portable vehicle alarm system having a motion sensitive switch and a transmitter for transmitting an alarm to a remote receiver. The receiver is capable of several functions including silent alarm to police or security guards as well as visual and audible alarms in remote locations such as light poles and roof tops of buildings. The alarm also includes a key set function with indicator lights for the motion switch and trip/transmit status.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to alarm systems and more particularly toportable vehicle alarms with remote signal capabilities.

In the past various types of vehicle alarm systems have been devised.Some of these devices have even included motion sensing means which,when the vehicle is tampered with, will close a circuit setting off thealarm. These motion sensitive devices have almost invariably, however,been permanently installed in the vehicle and require a considerableamount of time and labor thus being far from portable.

Organizations such as new and used automobile and truck sales lots havehad a particular problem in that they want their vehicles to be readilyaccessible to the public even at odd hours when no sales personnel areavailable. On the other hand, new and used cars on an open, unprotectedlot after business hours are an open invitation to vandals and hub capsnatchers as well as auto thefts. Up to now no satisfactory method ofprotection has been available since it is impractical to install apermanent alarm system which may or may not be heard by authorities on acar that may only stay on the lot a few days. On the other hand, if thelot is enclosed, it can (1) still be entered and (2) will in allprobability cause loss sales by prospective customers not being able toinspect or window shop the vehicles.

Another alternative is, of course, to have a full-time guard posted butthe cost of this is in most cases prohibitive and thus is considered animpractical alternative.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

After much research and study into the above-mentioned problems, thepresent invention has been developed to provide a portable vehicle alarmsystem which is not aesthetically detracting from the vehicle, isindependent of the vehicle electrical system, is easy to install andremove, and is capable of remotely setting off either a silent alarm ora visual or audible alarm. This improved alarm system is compact instructure, cannot be shut off without being set off, and has provisionsto indicate that it has transmitted an alarm so that the same can bequickly and readily reset.

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention toprovide a portable alarm system which is compact in structure and isreadily attachable and detachable from a vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable vehiclealarm system which will not be activated to operative status until a keyswitch is turned on.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable vehicletype alarm system with a sensitive motion sensing switch incorporatedinto the alarm circuit thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide, in a portablealarm system, a motion switch condition indicator.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an indicia whichwill remain in signal condition once the alarm is set off until the sameis reset.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable vehicletype alarm system which fits on the window of the vehicle and includes aleveling means for its integral motion switch.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable vehicletype alarm system which will transmit a silent alarm to law enforcementpersonnel.

Another object of the present invention is to provide in a portablevehicle type alarm system transmitter means for remotely triggeringalarm signals.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent and obvious from a study of the following description and theaccompanying drawings which are merely illustrative of such invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the housing for the portable alarmsystem of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the modification of thehousing shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the vehicle attached portion of thesystem of the present invention with the back removed;

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the vehicle portion of the alarmsystem of the present invention showing the same attached to a window ofa vehicle;

FIG. 5 is a schematic of the vehicle portion of the present invention;and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the alarm system of the presentinvention in actual use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

With further reference to the drawings, the overall alarm system of thepresent invention is broken down into two main components or units,namely, the usually fixed receiver unit indicated generally at 11 andthe usually mobile, transmitter unit indicated generally at 12.

Referring more specifically to the transmitter unit of the alarm systemof the present invention, a housing 13 is provided which is open on oneside to provide access to the interior 14 thereof. Within interior 14 isdisposed a motion sensitive switch indicated generally at 15 and atransmitter and power supply contained within housing 16.

Transmitter unit housing 13 is preferably constructed of a nonelectricalconducting material such as Bakelite. Passing through side 17 of housing13 is a sleeve or collar 18 which is held in relative fixed position bymeans such as nut 19. A threaded shaft 20 is adapted to be received bysleeve 18 and passed therethrough with one end of such shaft beingfixedly secured to leveling handle 21 by means such as set screw 22. Tothe end of shaft 20 opposite leveling handle 21 are a pair of nuts 23which, when tightened down, fixedly secure L-shaped bracket 24 to shaft20 as can clearly be seen in FIG. 3.

A pair of leaf arms 25 and 26 constructed from spring type metal areprovided and are secured to bracket 24 by means such as bolts 27 and 28and respective hold down nuts 29 and 30. An insulating spacer 31 isprovided between the two leaf arms 25 and 26 and bolt 28 is insulatedfrom the leaf arm as it passes therethrough. Bolt 28 on the other handis in electrical contact with leaf arm 26 but is insulated from arm 25and bracket 24. Nut 32 on bolt 28 forms the same into an electricalterminal as can clearly be seen in FIG. 3. A third bolt 33 isthreadingly disposed through bracket 24 and is used to adjust thesensitivity of motion sensing switch 15 by adjusting the position ofleaf arm 25 as again can be seen clearly in FIG. 3. The upper portion ofbolt 33, through use of nut 34, forms an electrical terminal for theelectrical circuit which will hereinafter be described.

Electrical contact points 35 and 36 are provided adjacent each other onleaf arms 25 and 26, respectively. Weight 37 is fixedly secured to theouter end of leaf arm 26 so that any movement of housing 13 will causeweight 37 to oscillate thereby closing contacts 35 and 36.

From the above, it can be seen that bracket 24 can be rotated parallelto the longitudinal axis of shaft 20 by turning handle 21 eitherclockwise or counterclockwise. Thus if housing 13 is disposed at anangle such as being mounted on the inclined window of certain moderncars, handle 13 can be manipulated to a vertical position thus disposingbracket 24 with its electrical leaf arms 25 and 26 one above the otherfor proper operation of the weighted motion sensitive switch againindicated generally at 15.

Although other types of motion sensing switches could be substituted forthat shown at 15, this type of weighted switch has been found to operatevery satisfactorily in the units produced by the Inventors as havingenough sensitivity while at the same time dampening down relativelyquickly for alarm set purposes.

A key operated switch 38, as shown in FIG. 2, could be substituted forhandle 21 as a leveling means for motion sensing portion 15 of thepresent invention. This would have two purposes; first, it would makethe unit of the present invention even more tamperproof and secondly, itwould eliminate the outwardly protruding handle which is subject todamage over a period of time.

In addition to sensor 15 being mounted within housing 13 as describedabove, a key switch 39 is provided which is a stock, commerciallyavailable item and is nothing more than an off-on switch which isactivated or turned on and off by a special key 40. This is the sametype key which, of course, can be used to operate key handle 38 shouldthis be decided upon rather than leveling handle 21.

A yellow light emitting diode or LED 41 is provided in housing 13 as isred LED 42. The operation of both of these last two mentioned lightswill, of course, hereinafter be described in more detail.

Housing 13 includes a back 43 which is removably held in place by meanssuch as screws 44. A window engaging bracket 45 constructed of stainlesssteel or other suitable material is fixedly secured to back 43 by anysuitable means (not shown). Once the housing 13 is mounted over a window46 of a vehicle 47 and such window is rolled up into its closedposition, the screws 44 holding back 43 in place are protected fromunauthorized tampering by bracket 45 holding the same slightly againstwindow 46. Any attempt to move housing 13 will, of course, set switch 15in motion which will activate the alarm as set forth below.

Referring more specifically to the schematic of FIG. 5 of the drawingsand correlating this with FIG. 3 showing the physical embodiments of thesame, housing 16 encloses a power supply 48 and a transmitter 49. Thepower supply 48 can, of course, be in the form of a battery such as thecommonly available nine-volt transistor battery.

The transmitter can be any one of a number of types of commerciallyavailable. The Linear Model 26 Delayed Transmitter produced by theLinear Corporation, Inglewood, Calif., has been found very satisfactoryfor use in conjunction with the disclosure of the present invention.

Connecting one side of power supply 48 to key switch 39 is line 50.There are three lines leaving the other side of switch 39, namely, line51, operatively connected to transmitter 49, line 52 to yellow LED 41,and line 53 to red LED 42.

Yellow LED 41 is connected to terminal 32 of motion sensing switch 15 byline 54. Line 55 is also connected to terminal 32 and leads totransmitter 49 and the trip portion thereof.

The opposite side of motion switch 15 leading from terminal 34 to thetrip section of transmitter 49, is line 56.

Red LED 42 is connected to silicon controlled rectifier or SCR 57 byline 58. The SCR 57 is then in turn connected to the power supply bymeans such as line 59.

Between the gate of SCR 57 and capacitor 60 is connected line 61. Theother side of capacitor 60 is connected to the voltage side oftransmitter 49 by line 62.

OPERATION OF INVENTION

To use the portable vehicle alarm system of the present invention, thereceiver unit 11 of the system is installed at any desired remotelocation.

This receiver unit 11 is operatively connected to desired alarm meanssuch as a siren 66 or other audible alarm, visual alarm such as lights67, or to remote silent alarms carried over transmission lines 68 toremote locations such as a police station or guard house (not shown).

The transmitter unit 12 is secured to the window 46 of vehicle 47 byslipping bracket 45 over the top edge of such window and rolling thewindow up into the closed position as seen clearly in FIG. 6.

Once the transmitter unit 12 has been properly installed on the vehicle47 or other unit to be protected, then handle 21 or key handle 38 can beused to dispose the motion sensitive means 15 for proper operation.This, in the case of the weighted spring switch disclosed in FIG. 3,would be vertical orientation of handle 21 to dispose leaf arms 25 and26 horizontally. If the motion sensing means 15 is not disposedcorrectly, it will, of course, either be too sensitive or not sensitiveenough because of the angular differential between its actualdisposition and its optimum operative disposition.

Switch 39 can then be turned on by key 40 and the same removed. Shouldthe motion sensitive means or switch 15 be disturbed during the turningon of switch 39 or still be in motion enough to make periodic contactbetween points 35 and 36, current will flow from power source 48 throughswitch 39 by way of line 52 to illuminate yellow LED 41 prior to returnto the power source through line 56. Since the type transmitter 49hereinabove described is of the time delay type, from the time closureis made between trip lines 55 and 56 until actual transmission (showngraphically at 69) occurs is approximately five seconds. During thistime the person setting up the alarm will note that LED 41 is flashingeach time contact is made between the points of the motion sensor 15 andwill be able to open switch 39 to prevent activation of the alarm. Oncethe motion sensor has settled down so that no contact is being madebetween the points of the motion sensor, then switch 39 can again beclosed to arm the transmitter unit 12. Thereafter the person setting upthe alarm can very qingerly remove key 40 from switch 39 and leave thevehicle 47.

Should the vehicle (or other unit being protected) 47 be tampered with,such as if someone is trying to break into the car, start the same orsimply vandalizing by the person illustrated at 65 in FIG. 6, enoughmotion will be transmitted to housing 13 to cause weight 37 to move upand down thereby closing the contacts of motion switch 15. Once thesecontacts close, current will flow from power source 48, through switch39, at line 52, through switch 15, and by line 56 to transmitter 49.After the five second delay mentioned above, transmitter 49 willtransmit the alarm signal 69. When this signal is transmitted, voltagewill be applied to line 62 which, by way of capacitor 60 and line 61, tothe gate of SCR 57 thereby allowing current to flow therethrough andlocking the same in closed condition thus allowing current to flow fromswitch 39 through line 53 to red LED 42. The circuit is, of course,closed through lines 58 and 59 and back to the power source. Until suchtime as key switch 39 is opened, red light will be emitted continuouslyfrom LED 42.

The transmitted signal 69 from transmitter unit 12 will be received byreceiver unit 11 through receiver antenna 64. Alarms such as sirens,horns, lights, etc., connected to component 11 will then go off thusattracting attention to culprit 65. Should it be so desired, a silentalarm can be transmitted to a remote location such as a guard house orpolice station by means such as telephone lines 68.

The system of the present invention is readily adaptable tomulti-transmitter installations such as all of the cars on an automobilesales lot. The red light emitting diode 42 becomes locked in by the gateof silicon controlled rectifier 57 when the transmitter 12 has been setoff. Thus all the person in charge has to do is walk around looking atthe boxes mounted on the windows of the various vehicles until he findsthe one with the red light on and he can simply take his key 40 and turnswitch 39 off which immediately not only turns transmitter 49 off butalso the entire transmitter portion 12. Switch 39 can then immediatelybe turned back on and the transmitter alarm will once again be armed andready to transmit the alarm whenever motion sensing means 15 is againdisturbed.

Whenever the car 47 or other unit on which the transmitter portion 12 ofthe present invention is mounted is desired to be driven or otherwiseused, key switch 39 is opened, the window 46 rolled down and clip 45 onthe back 43 of housing 13 removed from such window. The vehicle is thenimmediately available for use with no evidence of the alarm ever havingbeen used thereon.

From the above, it can be seen that the present invention has theadvantage of providing an extremely effective alarm system which can bereadily transferred from one vehicle or unit to another. It also isuncomplicated to operate and yet cannot be tampered with without thealarm being activated. The relative simplicity of the components of thepresent invention allows it to be inexpensively manufactured thus aidingin widespread commercial acceptability.

The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other specificways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit andessential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are,therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and notrestrictive and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalencyrange of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. An alarm system comprising: a remote receiver;alarm means operatively connected to said receiver; a plurality ofportable transmitters; trip means operatively connected to each of saidtransmitters; motion sensitive closure means operatively connected toeach of said trip means whereby when one of said transmitters isdisturbed, said motion sensitive closure will activate said trip meansto cause said transmitter to transmit a signal to said receiver whichwill activate said alarm means; and visual indicator means operativelyconnected to each of said transmitters and viewable exteriorly thereoffor visually indicating when said transmitter has been tripped whereby,when one of the plurality of portable transmitters adapted to send analarm signal to a single remote receiver has been tripped, such trippedtransmitter can be readily located for resetting.
 2. The system of claim1 wherein the transmit condition indicator is a light emitting diode. 3.The system of claim 1 wherein an indicator means is provided when themotion sensing means is in unstable condition.
 4. The system of claim 3wherein the indicator means is a light emitting diode.
 5. The system ofclaim 1 wherein alignment means is provided for said motion sensingmeans whereby optimum disposition of the same can be obtained regardlessof the disposition of the remainder of the transmitter unit.
 6. Thesystem of claim 1 wherein a key operated switch is used for turning thetransmitter unit on and off.
 7. The system of claim 6 wherein a timedelay means is provided in the off-on circuit whereby the transmitterunit can be cut off within a certain length of time if the motionsensing means is in an unstable condition.
 8. The system of claim 7wherein the time delay period is approximately five seconds.
 9. Thesystem of claim 1 wherein the motion sensor is of the weighted springtype.
 10. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter unit isremovably mounted over the upper edge of an openable vehicle sidewindow.